“Xinglan, why did your face suddenly go so pale? Are you okay?”
Jie Tianxin was startled. She hadn’t noticed a thin tentacle retracting from the black mud, swiftly slipping back under Ye Xinglan’s skirt.
The spot they were hiding at was a bit far from the jewelry store, so Jie Tianxin could barely see Muxingge and Xiaoxi coming out of the shop, and naturally couldn’t hear what they were talking about.
She had quietly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking it was just a misunderstanding—until Ye Xinglan suddenly tugged on her sleeve.
“You should head back first, Tianxin. Thanks for coming with me today.”
“Huh? But we haven’t bought the gift yet…”
Ye Xinglan shook her head. “It’s no longer necessary. The rest of the matters… you don’t need to be involved.”
At this moment, Muxingge looked at Xiaoxi, who was handing over the ring just like submitting homework to a teacher, and couldn’t help but laugh a little in disbelief.
“Is that how you plan to confess? Do you really think that’s romantic?”
Xiaoxi scratched her head and took the ring back. “Maybe it is a bit casual… But it’s just a drill, right? I’ll sound more serious when the time comes.”
Muxingge gasped, touched her philtrum, and seriously doubted whether Xiaoxi had used some unhealthy hypnosis software to make Ye Xinglan like her.
Xiaoxi really had no experience in this. After all, in her more than twenty years of life, she had never dated anyone. She was basically a rookie cook… oh, now a rookie cook girl.
“It’s not about tone! Listen carefully, the key to a confession is the sense of ceremony and surprise. You just pull out the ring straight like that? Not only is it unromantic, but anyone can see what you’re planning immediately!”
“But… I remember… ahem, I heard from Eternal Star Senior that you, Xingge, haven’t dated either, right? Do you know how many dating game voice roles I’ve done? Don’t question my expertise!”
Xiaoxi secretly curled her lips. Usually, she avoided games with Muxingge’s voice because hearing the voice of an old teammate was a bit immersion-breaking.
“So a confession needs both ceremony and unexpected surprise. What’s the point of preparing just a ring? Normally you’d also prepare bouquets and cakes—things that set the atmosphere and can hide the ring secretly.”
“…Also, you should change the gift you’re giving,” Muxingge suddenly changed the subject. “Let’s check out those middle counters in the jewelry store.”
Xiaoxi was stunned. What Muxingge said made sense, but isn’t a ring the standard gift for confession?
She still remembered those middle counters selling bracelets… Who gives bracelets as a confession gift?
However, following Muxingge’s hint and glancing inside the jewelry store, Xiaoxi immediately understood.
A customer was leaning on the bracelet counter, their figure unsteady, seemingly unwell. But Xiaoxi knew it wasn’t that simple.
Both she and Muxingge keenly sensed a faint Magic Power fluctuation around—and it was growing restless.
This was a sign of an ordinary person under the influence of Negative Mana, about to lose control and transform into a Monster!
Unlike Original Kaijin, ordinary people affected by Negative Mana lose rationality and during this pre-transformation period act like ticking time bombs, ready to explode anytime.
Even minor provocations can instantly trigger their mutation into Monsters, so Muxingge’s handling was correct. The customer slowly crouched, one hand gripping the counter to maintain balance. Muxingge and Xiaoxi pretended to browse casually and approached quietly.
“Sir, are you okay? Are you feeling unwell? Do you want me to call an ambulance?”
But unforeseen variables are uncontrollable. Just as the kind cashier girl ran over to help, the once-weak customer suddenly sprang up, grabbing the cashier’s neck.
The fragile balance was broken instantly. The Magic Power fluctuations in the air surged wildly, with clawed hands and sharp horns manifesting—the typical Monster traits appearing.
Black Magic Power clung to the person like mist, solidifying into a tattoo-like pattern of black thorns and roses.
Muxingge transformed instantly, but Xiaoxi hesitated a moment on seeing the black pattern and froze without moving.
“If you don’t want her dead, don’t act rashly!”
A black claw pressed against the cashier’s throat. Muxingge’s intended rush stopped abruptly—the Monster had taken a hostage to threaten her!
The cashier was terrified, frozen in place as the Monster held her, and Muxingge dared not move. The situation was far beyond expectation—she hadn’t imagined a Monster would act so… intelligent.
Monsters generally fall into two categories. The first are Original Kaijin born after the meteorite crash and initial chaos; these Monsters have innate traits and can control Magic Power, like Fox Moumou.
The other type are ordinary humans transformed under Negative Mana’s influence. These people are essentially “invaded” by Negative Mana; once the Magic Power is cleared, they can recover.
But during the Monster phase, they behave no differently than magical beasts, destructively and mindlessly.
Muxingge had never seen a newly transformed Monster affected by Negative Mana actually speak coherently—it was as incredible as a magical beast talking.
“Why don’t we talk this out calmly?”
Muxingge had to take a few steps back, lowering her Magic Wand, which then disappeared like a microphone.
Monsters affected by Negative Mana are usually very irritable; she didn’t want to provoke it.
But the Monster didn’t respond. With a cold snort, it swiped a claw backward, tearing apart the counter behind it, revealing a very tiny Three-Thirty-Second Note hiding there.
“I told you not to act rashly, didn’t I?” the Monster sneered. “You’re the Bailing Songstress [Muxingge], known for creating and controlling musical notes with Magic Power.”
“A Magic Girl doesn’t have to rely on a Magical Wand to activate her abilities. Do you think I’m stupid? You’re so disobedient—it seems you don’t care much about your hostage’s life.”
The black claw dug deep into the cashier’s skin. The cashier sobbed tearfully but didn’t dare move.
“Don’t get excited. Is this better?” Muxingge deliberately dropped her transformation, raising her hands and stepping back a few paces. “Tell me what you want.”
“Let me think…”
As the Monster began to speak, a loud boom erupted—the floor beneath their feet shattered, leaving a gaping hole.
Both fell down, and the Monster could no longer maintain the hostage hold.
Xiaoxi reacted swiftly, catching the falling cashier in her arms, watching the Monster drop to the lower floor.
As the dust settled, Muxingge’s Magic Wand was already aimed at the Monster’s head.
Xiaoxi hadn’t transformed with Muxingge at the start of the incident, instead showing panic and fleeing with the others.
Though they didn’t speak, Muxingge immediately understood Xiaoxi’s plan. A panicked ordinary person fleeing wouldn’t attract the Monster’s attention.
Muxingge’s job was to keep the Monster’s focus on herself. She hadn’t expected Xiaoxi’s approach to be so direct—and forceful.
Xiaoxi had found the Monster’s position from below and landed a strong, goodwill punch, smashing the floor.
Fortunately, this wasn’t the ground floor, and the Monster hadn’t anticipated the attack coming from beneath.
“Sirius, huh? I’ll remember you.”
The defeated Monster didn’t struggle, just stared at Xiaoxi with a strange smile. Then, its Magic Power dissipated, all Monster traits vanished, and it fainted.
Xiaoxi frowned. Though “I’ll remember you” sounded like a villain’s cliché promise to return, she felt something was off.
The Monster’s staring eyes seemed to conceal another person, as if someone was speaking through the Monster’s body, telling her she had been targeted.
Xiaoxi looked at the person’s neck— the black tattoo-like pattern had disappeared.
“Xiaoxi, how did you guess the Monster would take a hostage? Normally, the first instinct is to subdue the Monster, right?”
“Ha, I just wasn’t as fast as you, senior. Before I could transform, she already took the hostage. So I thought, why not use her own trick against her?”
Xiaoxi certainly couldn’t tell the truth. Last time she went to the Black Market with Miss, after hearing Fox Moumou describe Black Rose’s features, she had been paying close attention to similar tattoo patterns.
“Strange. This person’s condition doesn’t look like a normal Negative Mana-induced Monster transformation. It feels more like… being controlled,” Muxingge also sensed something was wrong.
“Let the Logistics Department handle it. You really made a scene this time—blowing a hole through the entire floor,” Muxingge smiled and patted Xiaoxi’s shoulder as she saw her tense expression. “Don’t worry. Though the damage exceeded the allowed limit, special circumstances call for special handling. Minister L won’t blame you.”
“Who would’ve thought we work quite well together? The last person I could communicate with just through eye contact was A Xing.”
Xiaoxi forced a smile as she checked the cashier’s injuries. “Haha, looks like I did learn a thing or two from Eternal Star Senior…”
While waiting for the Logistics Department, Xiaoxi kept frowning. If that really was Black Rose, she wouldn’t just jump out to cause chaos for attention.
It seemed Black Rose had some plan—and Xiaoxi had just disrupted it.
Lost in thought, a figure with a sullen expression approaching caught Xiaoxi’s attention.
“Xinglan? Why are you here? You weren’t hurt just now, were you?”
Xiaoxi stood up in surprise, but Ye Xinglan said nothing. She just grabbed Xiaoxi’s arm and strode ahead.